This invention relates to an electrical connector of the zero-insertion force type.
In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of contacts present in electrical connectors of the type associated with printed circuit boards, for example, and an increase in the pressure with which the contacts engage the associated contacts on the printed circuit board or other mating connector. The increased number of contacts and the increased contact pressure make it extremely difficult to insert the male or mating connector into the receiving connector; this has led to the development of zero-insertion force, electrical connectors. A zero-insertion force connector is one in which terminals which are included in the connector are moved out of the path of insertion of a complementary member such as a printed circuit board or male member and are subsequently released or moved to engage the associated contacts on the complementary member. In this way, the complementary member may be freely placed in position for engagement by the terminals in the connector without any wear on the contacts of the complementary member.
Some prior art zero-insertion force connectors are shown in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,793,609, 3,818,419 and 3,963,317.
A known connector, not shown in the above patents, includes a body having a slot therein to receive a mating connector, with fifty pairs of opposed contacts being located in the slot. An actuating member, slidably mounted in the connector, is used to simultaneously expand all fifty pairs of contacts to an extended or expanded position by a single pulling action on the actuating member to thereby enable the mating connector to be inserted between the contacts with zero-insertion force.